Hydraulic set liner hanger



Dec. 13, 1966 J. D. MOTT 3,291,22U

HYDRAULIC SET LINER HANGER Filed April 17, 1,964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. /0/77 Q J fl M 0 f 2 BY A United States Patent 3,291,220HYDRAULHC SET LINER HANGER James D. Mott, Houston, Tex., assignor toCicero C. Brown, Houston, Tex. Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,7tl0 6Claims. (Cl. 1662tl8) This invention relates to a liner hanger apparatusand more particularly to improvements in a hydraulically-operated linerhanger adapted to be set in a well casing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a liner hangeremploying means by which pressure fluid for setting the hanger issupplied from the setting tool, the means being so constructed andarranged that it may be readily removed from the hanger body when thesetting tool is withdrawn, without requiring the drilling-out or othermore diflicult operations to clear the bore of the hanger body, as isfrequently the case with more conventional designs.

An important object is the provision of a fluid transfer and sealingsleeve carried on the setting tool and slidable inside the hanger body,the sleeve being provided with transverse passages for communicatingpressure fluid from the setting tool to the hydraulically operatedhanger setting devices.

Another object is the provision of such a sleeve means having, inaddition to the transverse passages for communicating pressure fluidfrom the setting tool to the hydraulically operated apparatus,longitudinally extending passages for controlling the fill-up of therunning-in string with fluid as it is being run, and to also dischargefluid from the setting tool and operating string as the latter arepulled from the well after the hanger has been set, to thereby avoidcarrying fluid to the surface.

Other and more specific objects of this invention will become morereadily apparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a usefulembodiment in accordance with this invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, quarter-sectional view showing the hangerliner inserted in a well casing with the hanger parts in the running-inor non-actuated positions;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the parts in the positionsoccupied when the hanger is set;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the position of thesetting tool during a stage of its release from the liner hanger; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIG.1.

Referring to the drawing, the liner hanger apparatus in accordance withthis invention, is shown in a well casing C which, it will beunderstood, lines a well bore, and to which a liner L is to be attachedby means of the liner hanger apparatus. The liner hanger apparatuscomprises a generally tubular body l0 having a bore lltla. The upper endof body is screwed into a coupling sleeve 11, the upper end of whichforms a seat for a conventional anti-friction bearing 12 which isprovided with a plurality of radial slots 13 affording fluidcommunication between the exterior of the hanger body and the borethereof. The lower end of body 10 is screwed into the upper end of atubular sub 14, the lower end of which is threaded for connection toliner L by means of a threaded collar 15. Mounted below sleeve 11 on theexterior of body 10 in longitudinally spaced relation are upper andlower slip expanders l6 and 17, respectively, each of the expandersbeing of conventional form having angularly spaced slots defininginwardly sloping surfaces 16a and 17a, respectively, to co-operablyengage upper and lower sets of toothed pipe-gripping wedges or slips l8and 19,

IiiflLZZfl' Patented Dec. 13, 1965 ice respectively, for urging theslips radially outwardly into gripping engagement with wall C inresponse to relative longitudinal movement between the expanders and therelated slips. The slips of one set are angularly staggered with respectto the slips of the other set,

The slips of upper set 18 are carried on the upper ends of resilientarms 20 which are mounted on a cage ring 21 slidably disposed about theexterior of body ltl. The slips of lower set 19 are similarly mounted onresilient arms 22 which are, in turn, secured to an annular cylinderhead 23 slidably disposed about the exterior of body it) adjacent itslower end and above sub 14. Arms 20 of the upper slips have downwardextensions 20a which are secured at their lower ends to cylinder head23, and thereby normally support the upper set of slips from cylinderhead 23, as well as from cage ring 21. While two sets of slips areshown, it will be understood that in many instances only one set ofslips will be required. The number of slips and the general arrangementand details thereof are generally conventional and are intended to beillustrative of various radially expansible and contractible devicescommonly employed in well tools such as liner hangers, packers, and thelike.

Cylinder head 23 is provided with a cylindrical skirt 24 which extendsdownwardly about the exterior of sub 14 in a close slidable relation andis initially secured to the sub in its lowermost postion by means ofshear pins 25. Cylinder head 23, skirt 24 and the upper end of sub 14co-operate with the exterior of body lit to define an expansiblepressure chamber 26. Radial inlet ports 27 are provided through the wallof body Iltl to communicate pressure chamber 26 with the bore of bodyIt). Seal packing 28 is arranged between the exterior of sub 14 andcylinder skirt 24- below chamber 26 and seal packings 29 and 30 areprovided between the inner wall of sub 14 and the exterior of body 10above and below ports 27 to provide the requisite sealing for pressurechamber 26. Arms 20 and 22 are constructed to normally bias the slipsinwardly toward the hanger body so that they are normally retracted tobe out of engagement with the wall of casing C when the apparatus isbeing run into the well.

Extending into the bore of body 10 is a tubular setting tool or mandrel31 having a bore 31a. The upper end of setting tool 31 is screwed into atubular coupling member 33, the upper end of which is adapted to bereceived in a collar P attached to the lower end of a section of anoperating pipe string (not shown). Coupling member 33 extends throughthe bore of bearing 12 which is held in place between the upper end ofbearing sleeve 11 and the shoulder 34- forrned by the lower end ofcollar P, the bearing furnishing anti-friction means aiding freerotational movement of the setting tool relative to the hanger body.

A conventional releasable connection is provided between the settingtool and the hanger body, This connection includes an annular travellingnut 35, having longitudinal passages 35a therethrough, which forms areleasable connection between coupling 33 and connector sleeve 11. Thelatter is provided with a short section of coarse threads 36 which matewith corresponding threads on the exterior of nut 35. The bore of nut 35is provided with a plurality of longitudinal splines 37 which ride incooperating spline grooves 38 formed on the exterior of coupling member33. The bore wall of connector sleeve ll has an unthreaded portion abovethreads 36 to receive travelling nut 35 when the latter is moved out ofengagement with threads 36 after a suitable number of rotations ring 42is secured to the exterior of the lower end of reduced diameter portion40 and a seat ring 43 is mounted in the lower end of bore 31a of thesetting tool and is provided about its upper edge with a tapered seat 44adapted for reception of a closure member, such as a ball 45 (FIG. 2).One or more radial discharge ports 46 are provided through the wall ofportion 40 of the setting tool.

Slidably disposed about portion 40 of the setting tool is a sealingsleeve 47 which is somewhat shorter in length than the distance betweenshoulder 41 and the upper end of abutment ring 42, thereby providing alimited degree of relative longitudinal movement between sleeve 47 andthe setting tool. Sleeve 47 has a thickness such as to span the annularspace between the setting tool and the bore wall of hanger body andextend into a slidable engagement with the latter. The hanger body hasan internal upwardly facing shoulder 48 to limit downward movement ofsleeve 47, so that when the setting tool is fully inserted in hangerbody 10 in the running-in position, as seen in FIG. 1, sleeve 47 will beheld in place between shoulders 41 and 48.

Sleeve 47 is provided with one or more transverse passages 49 whichcommunicate at their opposite ends with annular grooves 50 and 51provided in the interior and exterior walls, respectively, of sleeve 47.Grooves 50 and 51 and the connecting passages 49 are positioned insleeve 47 to be in registration with ports 27 and 46 when the sleeve isseated on shoulder 48 and held down thereon by engagement of shoulder 41with the upper end of the sleeve.

Passages 49 serve to provide fluid communication between bore 31a of thesetting tool and pressure chamber 26. Suitable seal packings 5252 areprovided between the exterior of sleeve 47 and the bore wall of hangerbody 10 above and below groove 51, and similar seal packings 5353 areprovided between the interior wall of sleeve 47 and the exterior ofportion 40 of the setting tool on opposite sides of grooves 50 toprevent leakage of fluid between sleeve 47 and the setting tool hangerbody. Sleeve 47 is provided with a passage 54 extending longitudinallythrough the body of the sleeve from end to end thereof. A downwardlyopening check valve 55 is mounted in the lower end portion of passage 54to allow downward passage of fluid through the annular space between thesetting tool and the packer body.

Sleeve 47 may be provided with a second longitudinal passage 56 whichextends from the lower end of the sleeve to a point between upper sealpacking 53 and transverse passage 49 where the upper end of passage 56opens through the inner wall of the sleeve. A seal packing 57 ispositioned between the inner wall of sleeve 47 and portion 40 of thesetting tool at a point between the'upper end of passage 56 andtransverse passage 49. Longitudinal passage 56 serves as a fluid dumppassage in the operation of the tool, as will be described hereinafter.

Operation of the tool is conducted substantially in the followingmanner: The tool, assembled as shown in FIG. 1, is run into casing C tothe point at which the liner hanger is to be set. During this operationthe liner may be filled with fluid, as is commonly done, in order toprevent collapse, as entry of fluid into the liner from below willnormally be prevented by the back-pressure valve ordinarily provided inthe cementing shoe carried by the lower end of the liner. The fluid tofill the runningin-string will flow through slots 13 in the connectorsleeve and passages 35a in the travelling nut into the annular spacebetween the setting sleeve and the hanger body, and thence throughpassages 54 and check valves 55 into the interior of liner L and thencethrough the bore of the setting tool and into the running-in-string.

When the liner hanger is in place, closure ball 45 will be pumped, alongwith water, mud or other pressure fluid, through the operating stringinto the bore of setting tool 31 and will come to rest on seat 44 ofseat ring 43, thereby closing-off the bore of the setting tool belowports 46.

Thereupon, increased pressure on the hydraulic fluid in the bore of theoperating string will be transmitted through discharge ports 46,transverse passages 49, and inlet ports 27 into pressure chamber 26.When the pressure is increased sufficiently, shear pins 25 will bebroken, allowing cylinder head 23 to be forced upwardly thereby urgingslips 19 and 18 over their respective expander elements 17 and 16. Theslips will be forced outwardly to anchor the hanger to the wall ofeasing C, as best seen in FIG. 2.

When the liner hanger has thus been effectively anchored to casing C,the operating string will be rotated a sufiicient number of turns tocause travelling nut 35 to move upwardly on threads 36 until theconnection between the setting tool and the hanger body is released,also as seen in FIG. 2, freeing the setting tool for removal from thehanger body. Thereupon, an upwardly pull will be applied to theoperating string attached to the setting tool and the latter will bedrawn upwardly. The initial upward movement will bring the upper end ofabutment ring 42 into engagement with the lower end of sleeve 47, asbest seen in FIG. 3. This relative movement between the setting tool andsleeve 47 will move ports 46 into registration with the upper end ofdump passage 56. This communication will allow the load of liquid in thebore of the operating string and the setting tool to be dischargedthrough passage 56 into the bore of liner L and allow the operatingstring to be pulled upwardly without carrying a load of liquid with it.Any liquid remaining in the annular space between the setting tool andthe hanger body above sleeve 47 will likewise be dumped through passage54. Continued upward movement of the operating string will then pullsleeve 47 out of the bore of hanger body 10 and leave the latter fullyopen throughout its length ready to receive any other well pipes ortools as may be required for subsequent equipping and operation of thewell.

It will be evident that various changes and modifications may be made inthe details of the illustrative embodiment within the scope of theappended claims but without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a liner hanger apparatus adapted to be set in a well casingdisposed in a well bore, a tubular body, normally retracted means onsaid body adapted to be expanded outwardly against the well leasing,hydraulically operable means on said body for expanding said normallyretracted means, inlet port means through the wall of said body forproviding fluid communication to said hydraulically operable means, atubular setting tool extending into the bore of said body, meansreleasably connecting said setting tool to said body, discharge portmeans through the wall of said setting tool for providing fluidcommunication between the interior and the exterior thereof, and asleeve member carried on the exterior of said setting tool for limitedrelative longitudinal movement thereon and extending into slidablesealing engagement with said body, said sleeve member having transversepassages movable into and out of communication between said dischargeand inlet port means by longitudinal movement of the setting toolrelative to said body.

2. In a liner hanger apparatus adapted to be set in a well casingdisposed in a well bore, a tubular body, normally retracted means onsaid body adapted to be expanded outwardly against the well casing,hydraulically operable means on said body for expanding said normallyretracted means, said hydraulically operable means including hollowpiston means slidably mounted on said body, inlet port means through thewall of said body communicating the bore thereof with the interior ofsaid piston means, a tubular setting tool extending into the bore ofsaid body, means releasably connecting said setting tool to said body,discharge port means through the wall of said setting tool providingfluid communication between the interior and the exterior thereof, asealing sleeve member carried on the exterior of said setting tool andextending into slidable sealing engagement with said body, said sleevemember having transverse passages movable into and out of communicationbetween said discharge and inlet port means by longitudinal movement ofthe setting tool relative to said body, and a passageway extendinglongitudinally entirely through said sleeve member, and downwardlyopening check valve means controlling said passageway.

3. In a liner hanger apparatus adapted to be set in a well casingdisposed in a well bore, a tubular body, normally retracted means onsaid body adapted to be expanded outwardly against the well casing,hydraulically operable means on said body for expanding said normallyretracted means, said hydraulically operable means including hollowpiston means slidably mounted on said body, inlet port means through thewall of said body communicating the bore thereof with the interior ofsaid piston means, a tubular setting tool extending into the bore ofsaid body, means releasably connecting said setting tool to said body,discharge port means through the wall of said setting tool providingfluid communication between the interior and the exterior thereof, asealing sleeve member carried on the exterior of said setting tool forlimited relative longitudinal movement and extending into slidablesealing engagement with said body, said sleeve member having transversepassages movable into and out of communication between said dischargeand inlet port means by longitudinal movement of the setting toolrelative to said body, a first passageway extending longitudinallyentirely through said sleeve member, downwardly opening check valvemeans controlling said first passageway, and a second passageway havingone end communicating with the lower end of said sleeve member and itsupper end positioned to communicate with said discharge port means inresponse to said limited relative longitudinal movement between saidsetting tool and said sleeve member.

4. In a liner hanger apparatus adapted to be set in a well casingdisposed in a well bore, a tubular body, normally retracted means onsaid body adapted to be expanded outwardly against the well casing,hydraulically operable means on said body :for expanding said normallyretracted means, inlet port means through the wall of said body forproviding fluid communication to said hydraulically operable means, atubular setting tool extending into the bore of said body, meansreleasably connecting said setting tool to said body, discharge portmeans through the wall of said setting tool for providing fluidcommunication between the interior and the exterior thereof, and asleeve member carried on the exterior of said setting tool and extendinginto slidable sealing engagement with said body, said sleeve memberhaving transverse passages movable into and out of communication betweensaid discharge and inlet port means by longitudinal movement of thesetting tool relative to said body, and opposed shoulder means on saidsetting tool and said body engageable with the opposite ends of saidsleeve member to hold said sleeve member in the position establishingcommunication between said discharge and inlet port means when saidsetting tool is connected to said body.

5. A liner hanger, comprising a tubular body connectible into a linerstring, a tubular slip cage slidably mounted on the mandrel, meansreleasably securing the slip cage to the body, two vertically spacedsets of circumferentially spaced pipe-gripping slips mounted in fixedlongitudinal relation on the cage about the body, downwardly taperingslip expander members mounted on the body in positions to expand bothsets of slips in response to relative longitudinal movement of the slipsand expander members toward each other, fluid pressure-actuated meansmounted on the body for moving the slip cage longitudinally of the bodywhereby to move said slips toward said expander members, and means fordirecting pressure fluid from the interior of said body to said fluidpressure-actuated means.

6. A liner hanger according to claim 5 wherein the slips of one set areangularly staggered with respect to the slips of the other set.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,328,840 9/ 1943OLeary 166208 3,072,204 1/ 1963 Brown 166-212 X 3,195,646 7/1965 Brown166208 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

D. H. BROWN, Assistant Examiner.

5. A LINER HANGER, COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY CONNECTIBLE INTO A LINERSTRING, A TUBULAR SLIP CAGE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE MANDREL, MEANSRELEASABLY SECURING THE SLIP CAGE TO THE BODY, TWO VERTICALLY SPACED SETOF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED PIPE-GRIPPING SLIPS MOUNTED IN FIXEDLONGITUDINAL RELATION ON THE CAGE ABOUT THE BODY, DOWNWARDLY TAPERINGSLIP EXPANDER MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE BODY IN POSITIONS TO EXPAND BOTHSETS OF SLIPS IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE SLIPSAND EXPANDER MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER, FLUID PRESSURE-ACTUATED MEANSMOUNTED ON THE BODY FOR MOVING THE SLIP CAGE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODYWHEREBY TO MOVE SAID SLIPS TOWARD SAID EXPANDER MEMBERS, AND MEANS FORDIRECTING PRESSURE FLUID FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY TO SAID FLUIDPRESSURE-ACTUATED MEANS.